GENEVA – Sepsis, one of the most prevalent but misdiagnosed, deadly diseases, was established as a global priority today by the World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO).

On the unanimous recommendation of the Executive Board of the WHO, the WHA adopted the resolution to improve, prevent, diagnose, and manage sepsis through a series of actions directed at developed and developing countries around the world. The resolution was adopted at the seventieth WHA, which is meeting between May 22-31 in Geneva.

Sepsis, commonly referred to as ‘blood poisoning’, is the life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to infection results in organ dysfunction or failure. Sepsis is often confused with other conditions in its early stages, with delayed recognition of the signs and symptoms quickly leading to multi-system organ failure and ultimately death.

On the occasion of the World Health Assembly passing a resolution on sepsis, the Global Sepsis Alliance, IAPO, and the German Federal Ministry of Health have hosted the 'WHA Side Event on Sepsis' in Geneva on May 24th, 2017. View video of the event below:

OPENPediatrics is pleased to announce the launch of our newest Continuing Education course, Pediatric Defibrillation, Cardioversion and Transcutaneous Pacing. Pediatric cardiac arrests from life-threating arrhythmias are a rare event, however, it is imperative pediatric healthcare providers remain knowledgeable and skilled with the procedures and equipment used for the management of a cardiac arrest to facilitate timely, lifesaving resuscitations. This management includes the competent use of electrical interventions comprising of defibrillation, cardioversion and transcutaneous pacing.

Florence Nightingale was a trailblazing figure in nursing who greatly affected 19th- and 20th-century policies around proper care. She was known for her night rounds to aid the wounded, establishing her image as the 'Lady with the Lamp.'

Each year the Save Lives: Clean your Hands campaign aims to progress the goal of maintaining a global profile on the importance of hand hygiene in health care and to ‘bring people together’ in support of hand hygiene improvement globally.

May 5th is World Hand Hygiene Day, and the World Health Organization urges you to focus on the fight against antibiotic resistance in the context of hand hygiene and infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes. Learn more about the campaign by visiting the WHO site, and get involed on social media by using the hashtag #cleanyourhands & #worldhandhygieneday.

In recognition of this campaign, OPENPediatrics is pleased to feature the video (Hand Hygiene) by Debra Morrow.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has declared May "National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month". It's a peak season for asthma and allergy sufferers, and a perfect time to educate each other about these diseases. There is no cure for asthma and allergies, and many deaths are preventable with proper treatment and care. More than 50 million Americans have all types of allergies, and the rate of allergies is climbing – pollen, skin, latex and more.

Asthma affects more than 24.5 million Americans. More than 6 million children under the age of 18 suffer from asthma, and ten people a day die from asthma. World Asthma Day is May 2nd. This is an annual event organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve asthma awareness and care around the world.

OPENPediatrics is pleased to announce the release of our newest simulator, The Hemodialysis Simulator. The HD simulator offers stand-alone education on initiating and managing a child on hemodialysis, including setting up an HD circuit, selecting a prescription, monitoring a patient, assessing laboratory results and managing clinical complications. The hemodialysis simulator provides an interactive and scalable experience for the learner to acquire basic knowledge about hemodialysis, practice their skills in a safe environment, and receive direct feedback on their actions, all while controlling the pace of their learning.

Nearly half of the world's population is at risk of malaria. In 2015, there were roughly 212 million malaria cases and an estimated 429,000 malaria deaths. Increased prevention and control measures have led to a 29% reduction in malaria mortality rates globally since 2010. Since 2000, malaria prevention has played an important role in reducing cases and death, primarily through the scale up of insecticide-treated nets and indoor spraying of insecticides.